• HOSPICE and PALLIATIVE CARE: Advance Care Planning Does Not Reduce Health Care Utilization, Hospice News, November 13, 2019
• HOSPICE: Misconceptions About Hospice Care Persist Among U.S. Public, Hospice News, November 18, 2019
• HOME HEALTH: CMS Issues Manual Updates Related to PDGM, NAHC Report, November 15, 2019
• HOME HEALTH: Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update for Calendar Year (CY) 2020, Palmetto GBA

Find RCD Answers through the updated October 16, 2019 Review Choice Demonstration (RCD) for Home Health Services Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Monthly Review Choice Demonstration (RCD) Provider Teleconference Schedule – Next date is 12/04/2019

ATTENTION: Check out the updated RCD Toolkit located in the members’ section of the OCHCH site. Just login to “My Profile” and in the left column under “HELP DESK ONLINE” click on “RCD Toolkit.”

Next OCHCH Weekly RCD Conference Call – Friday, NOVEMBER 22, 2019 at 10am!

**Charles Canaan from Palmetto GBA will be on the call – so get your questions ready!!!**

DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY!! Please mark your calendars for EVERY FRIDAY @ 10am. The calls will last no more than an hour.

(No call on Friday, November 29 due to the Thanksgiving Holiday!)

The following webcasts are hosted by the MACs:

Home Health Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) Webcast Part One: November 21, 2019

This is the first of two collaborative webcasts about the Home Health Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), hosted by your Home Health Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), CGS, National Government Services and Palmetto GBA. This presentation will begin on Thursday, November 21, 2019 at 02:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. During this webcast, you will receive information to help your agency prepare to implement billing changes for the PDGM on January 1, 2020. PDGM is the Medicare payment model used to reimburse home health agencies. Please plan to attend.

Home Health Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) Webcast Part Two: December 5, 2019

This is second part of two collaborative webcasts about the Home Health Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), hosted by your Home Health Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), CGS, National Government Services and Palmetto GBA. This presentation will begin on Thursday, December 05, 2019 at 02:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. During this webcast, you will receive information to help your agency prepare to implement clinical changes for the PDGM on January 1, 2020. PDGM is the Medicare payment model used to reimburse home health agencies. Please plan to attend.

Helpdesk Question of the Week –

HOME HEALTH: iQIES

Question: HOW DOES iQIES affect RCD and PCR?

Answer: iQIES does not affect RCD.

However if your agency believes that the OASIS data contains information that would support the patients medicare home health services eligibility the HHA would need to save the OASIS as pdf and submit it to Palmetto GBA. If your agency does this make sure you circle areas in the document that would support home health services eligibility.

Please click the following link for all the information about the new iQIES requirements:

Register for an iQIES Account – Action Required

Our Take

OUR TAKE – By Beth Foster, RN, BA, CPHQ, CEHCH

OPERATION: tackle PDGM 
The OCHCH campaign to support your agency’s PDGM needs will be up and running the beginning of December. We will be scheduling weekly PDGM calls, and the helpdesk (Kathy and I) have been and will continue to answer PDGM questions. By the way, the PDGM Toolkit will be updated to include more links for you!!!
OCHCH will have a number of recordings available on our website of previous PDGM education webinars for your purchase or access. Moving forward OCHCH is committed to bringing you continued education on the implementation of PDGM and its impacts on our industry.

• HOSPICE: Senators Introduce Bill on Hospice Quality, Transparency, Hospice News, November 11, 2019
• HOME HEALTH: Home Health Compare results were updated on October 30, 2019, Fazzi Associates
• HOME HEALTH and HOSPICE: CMS Open Door Forum Summary, NAHC Report, November 12, 2019
• HOSPICE and HOME HEALTH: Hospice and Home Health Claims Processing Issues Log, Palmetto GBA

• HOSPICE: Hospice Physician Timothy Ihrig: MA Carve-in May Hurt Quality, Hospice News, November 11, 2019
• HOSPICE: Three Merida Health Group Executives Convicted of Fraud, Hospice News, November 11, 2019
• HOSPICE: 9/11 Survivors Turning To Hospice Care, Hospice News, November 13, 2019
• HOSPICE: Hospices Design Programs for Unique Needs of Military Veterans, Hospice News, November 13, 2019